Benefits of Working with a Water Company

Local governments across the country are facing increasing water quality regulations, decaying water and wastewater infrastructure, a lack of capital investment capacity, and other significant challenges maintaining and operating their water and wastewater systems. America’s water companies stand ready to assist. Below are some of the many reasons why local governments often turn to professional water companies for help with their water services.

Water companies have an unparalleled water quality compliance record.

Multiple studies of EPA data have found that water companies have a superior drinking water quality record compared to local governments.

A 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that systems run by water companies are significantly less likely to violate federal drinking water standards compared to systems run by local governments. The study analyzed EPA data for more than 18,000 water systems over a 34-year period and is considered the largest examination of Safe Drinking Water Act compliance data ever conducted.

Water companies enable local governments to make urgent capital investments in their infrastructure.

The 15 largest water companies in the United States invested nearly $5.5 billion in community water systems in 2023. These are dollars coming from the private sector and not out of a municipal budget.

Water companies lead the sector in customer service and satisfaction.

NAWC member companies are leaders on water utility customer service, with 78% scoring above average on overall customer satisfaction in their region according to the 2020 J.D. Power U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.

Water companies have strong worker safety and security records.

NAWC members make safety a top priority, providing PPE and training, developing emergency response plans, reducing chemical risks, upgrading alarm systems, implementing water information management systems, and adopting metrics to track progress. A review of federal data shows a 38.1% lower rate of injury and illnesses for private water utility workers compared to municipal workers between 2013 and 2022.

Water companies have been at the forefront of security for years, with over 95% having management-led safety policies and more than 90% reporting active cybersecurity programs, according to a 2020 industry survey.